Welcome to the jungle part 3
Trip Start
Jun 07, 2004
1
41
50
Trip End
Nov 27, 2004
Medan,
Sumatra,
Indonesia
Thursday, November 4, 2004
Waking up in a tent in the Sumatran jungle is a good start to any day as far as I am concerned. We hike to a small waterfall and climb up. Jumping into a deep turquoise pool for an early morning swim. The sun overhead is already baking hot and I laze in the pool wearing just my floppy hat and rolled-up combats. Three fat inner tubes have been lashed together making a raft and upon it, we begin to paddle downstream back to Bukit Lawang. A bit of a wet roller-coaster ride through rapids and chicanes. Passing the broken up remains of previous settlements that were washed away in the recent flood. Finally we coast past the Orang Utan feeding platform, which is always a popular visitor attraction. End of adventure.
Reinstalled at our more fixed accommodation, we begin calling over the Bintangs. It's a good drinking session and like curious animals looking for a hand-out of food or cigarettes, perhaps even a beer, or all three - the long haired 'guitar boys' begin to crawl out of the woodwork. Mustafa happily guzzles his beer exuding a conceited air of superiority over his thirsty group of long-haired comrades. For he has won the prize of free beer from the English - in thanks for conducting a highly enjoyable safari ( for which he has also been paid , remember... ) He gets a little carried away with himself when I ask him to go and change some money up at the local shop, " look, one for me ! " he laughs waving my 20 dollar bill above his head. I correct his error with a little more diplomacy than he merits.
The next day brings with it a mild hangover and quickly it is decided to replace it with the merriment of further drinks. I have ordered several roast chickens and the longhairs get underway building a barbeque. There are plentiful guitar sing alongs to such treats as ' I will survive ' and ' Hotel California ' where the words to the chorus are replaced with " Welcome to the hotel Bukit Lawang..."( the same number of syllables - it seems to work ) I join in and decide these people are not so bad. I had perhaps mistaken them for being arrogant layabouts - the way some of them leap at visitors claiming to be guides, dealers, entrepreneurs needing finance... and so on. None of their patter bearing any trace of sincerity. Testing ones humour and generosity to the limit. For they have nothing left to lose. These young men are so desperate for money they are now quite literally singing for their supper. I just wish they would all shut up and eat.
I suppose given what they've been through - with the flood claiming so many lives, they must truly envy visitors. Because we can leave. We are free to go elsewhere. If I were them, I might start to resent being trapped here. In a country where the outlook is so continually grim.
On a cheerier note, it's Guy Fawkes night, we have made fireworks. A short length of bamboo is filled with petrol then lit. Boom ! That's your firework, Indo style. The following morning I leave Sarah in Bukit Lawang to continue her research, and I catch the clapped-out mini bus back to Medan.
As a footnote - upon reflection, my experiences in 'Bukit' were so hugely enjoyable, that I went back again in 2005. The schedule was much the same and I saw that the region had began to enjoy a greater number of visitors. Desperation had been replaced with a new energy - with so much to do and so few pairs of hands. A new road in, replacement houses. And the welfare of Orang Utans high on the agenda. If you go there you'll learn something about survival.
Next ; to be continued
